Academic Journal of Entomology 7 (1): 38-54, 2014 ISSN 1995-8994 © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aje.2014.7.1.1112 Red Pumpkin Beetle, Aulacophora foveicollis Lucas; A Review of Host Susceptibility and Management Practices Muhammad Aamir Rashid, Muhammad Ahsan Khan, Muhammad Jalal Arif and Nazir Javed Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan Abstract: Aulacophora foveicollis is polyphagous feed voraciously on leaves, flower buds and flowers which may reach upto 35-75% at seedling stage. In some cases the losses of this pest have been reported to 30-100% in the field. Current effort was made to get a comprehensive note on the control strategies adapted to date for red pumpkin beetle and its host variation. Key words: Know about the possible control measures Different ways of control used by different scientist Period of investigation when studies done on the pest INTRODUCTION In the experiment the span of different stages of the pest was monitored at field conditions under laboratory Aulacophora foveicollis is polyphagous and attacks conditions at variable temperatures and humidities more than 81 plant species including pumpkin, squash, conditions. Different agronomic, chemical and non- cucumber, bottle gourd, snake gourd, wax gourd, water chemical control measures were applied for the control of melon, etc. and a wide range of fruit crops. The adult Aulacophora foveicollis. These control measures were beetles feed insatiably on leaves, flower buds and flowers ploughing and planking operations, application of [76]. So, it can be called as one of the most serious pest of kerosine oil, road dust, wood dust, fine tobacco dust or cucurbits because it attacks every stage of cucurbits and snuff, wood and cowdung ash, spray of led-arsenate and it can cause heavy loss to all cucurbits except bitter water spray for the control. gourd. If it is at seedling stage then crop needs to be [2] Melamed-Madjae performs an experiment to study resown. It feed underside the cotyledonous leaves by Aulacophora (Rhaphidopalpa) foveicollis (Lucas) adults biting holes into them. Percent damage rating gradually feeding on the fruits and leaves of cucurbits in Israel, as decreases from 70-15% as the leaf canopy increases. in other Mediterranean countries. An investigation was Percent losses are obvious from the percent damage, done during 1955-57 and revealed that the adults of this which may reach upto 35-75% at seedling stage [49]. beetle hibernate. Females beetle oviposit in May-August In some cases the losses of this pest have been reported and egg stage last about 10, larval stage about 20 and to 30-100% in the field [76]. pupal stage 16 days at 28°C [82.4°F.]. Egg laying capacity of female ranges from 100 to 800. Reviews: In Bombay, research was performed on red [3] Nath and Thakur performs an experiment involve pumpkin beetle and reported it to be the serious pest field trials and cage studies to evaluate the resistance of of the crop that is a more or less constant pest [1]. gourds against red pumpkin beetle, Aulacophora It becomes sporadically serious on young tender shoots, foveicollis. The beetle was said to be the most injurious leaves and flowers of various cucurbits. Experiment was pest of cucurbits in India. Thirteen different experiments carried out to check the damage, different life stages and were performed in which six cage experiment were also effective control measures of the red pumpkin beetle on involved in it during spring, summer and rainy season of cucurbitaceous vegetable, those are comparatively safe, 1963. Ridge gourd, bottle gourd and sponge along with health friendly and easily available in local eco-system. different lines of these crops were selected. Lines of ridge Corresponding Author: Muhammad Aamir Rashid, Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. 38 Acad. J. Entomol., 7 (1): 38-54, 2014 gourd NR 1, NR 2, NR 4, NR 5 and NR 7, lines of sponge level of resistance calculated by observing percentage gourd were NS 7, NS 10, NS 11, NS 12, NS 14, NS 16 and damage caused by artificial infestations to cotyledonary NS 17, lines of bottle gourd were NB 19, NB 21, NB 22, NB leaves. It was observed that level of resistance was linked 25, NB 28, NB 29, NB 30 and NB 33. Response of different with cucurbitacin content of the cotyledonary leaves. lines were different that varies from the other and also Field trials were performed to evaluate insecticidal variation were present among varieties. spray against red pumpkin beetle, Aulacophora [4] Singh and Gupta performs an experiment on foveicollis in India [7]. Red pumpkin beetle, Aulacophora Aulacophora (Raphidopalpa) foveicollis (Lucas), in Uttar foveicollis is a most destructive polyphagous and widely Pradesh, India studied its life stages, damage to target distributed pest of cucurbits in India. During the field trial crop and control of this pest on the crop. It is widely efficacy of 14 different insecticides against this pest, distributed over India, is a severe pest of cucurbits and including carbaryl and lindane at 0.2% and dichlorvos, also recorded from leguminous crops. This pest was methyl demeton, monocrotophos, phosalone and found for the first time damaging Japanese mint (Mentha thiometon at 0.03% were evaluated. The compounds were arvensis var. piperascens) in 1967-68 in Uttar Pradesh, applied in 750/ spraying liquid/ ha. Among 14 different where it is grown as a cash crop for medicinal use. insecticides tested, phosphamidon was most effective one Adults of the pest were observed in small groups on the with over 64% reduction in the beetle population even lower surface of the leaves and by their feeding caused after 15 days treatment. Phosphamidon followed by transparent patches and eventually holes; they also Carbaryl and endosulfan were the most effective consumed small buds. Different control measures were insecticides adopted for the control of Aulcaophora foviecollis and [8] Al-Ali et al., carried out an experiment to for control, sprays of 0.02% endrin or 0.1% malathion at determine the host preferences and biology of red 1000 litres 1/ha or a 5% dust of malathion at 2 kg/ha were pumpkin beetle. Experiment was performed at Abu-Ghraib recommended. It was also recommended that the endrin Farm, Iraq, the adults of Aulacophora foveicollis broke application should not be applied less than three weeks their overwintering during first week of April 1975 at 21.2 before harvest. °C and second week of April in the next year (1976) at 21.2 [5] Dutt and Dalapati observed in India that both the °C too. Beetles start feeding on seedlings and mature adults and the eggs of Aulacophora foveicollis (Lucas) plants of melon (Cucumis melo), snake cucumber (Raphidopalpa foveicollis) overwinter. Beetle is a (C. m.var. flexuosus), cucumber (C. sativus) and bottle significant pest of cucurbits and was studied in the field gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) and preferred flowers to on Cucurbita pepo, Lagenaria siceraria (vulgaris) and leaves. Egg laying started by the third week of April and Benincasa hispida and also in the laboratory. Majority of continued for 44 days, while the pre-oviposition period adult population enter soil to overwinter, though some ranged between 2.3 and 4.2 days and the number of eggs remained, on the plants feeding at a reduced rate. Body per female ranges between 5.1 and 14.1. Larval infestation weight of both sexes fell before overwintering began but started by the last week of April at 22.3 °C and became was restored when the beetles fed actively in the very severe during the first week of May at 25.8 °C. following year. Growth of the reproductive organs ceased Best suited temperature for the beetle was around when body weight fell. Eggs which were exposed at 30°C 27-28 °C. With the gradual increase in the temperature its and relative humidity up to 40% failed to hatch. It was population decreased until it completely disappeared observed that when relative humidity is low during the throughout July at 35.2 °C which seems to be lethal or winter it appears that the eggs also become dormant and semi-lethal to it. Beetle seems to be capable of tolerating development is arrested. wide ranges of relative humidity fluctuations, on the other [6] Pal et al., locate the source of resistance in hand. The number of beetles on 10 plants of each crop among pumpkin germplasm against red pumpkin beetle. was set to be a standard for host preference studies During 1975-77 in India the resistance of 287 indigenous and descending order was C. m. var. flexuosus, C. melo, and exotic pumpkin germplasms to Aulacophora C. sativus and L. siceraria for both 1975 and 1978 foveicollis (Lucas) (Raphidopalpa foveicollis), a pest that seasons. However, C. m. var. flexuosus, C. melo, severely damages the cotylendonary leaves resulting in C. sativus did not differ significantly in their preference the death of seedlings, was evaluated in pot tests in from each other and, thus collectively regarded as the insect-proof cages. 596-2 and 613 lines had promising beetle's first choice. 39 Acad. J. Entomol., 7 (1): 38-54, 2014 [9] Singh and Gill carried out field trials in the Punjab, [13] Alikhan and Yousuf performs an experiment to India, between March and May 1978 on losses in growth test the mortality and development of red pumpkin beetle, and yield of muskmelon in plots sprayed with carbaryl at Aulacophora foveicollis by rearing it on different hosts. between 100 and 1000 g a.i./ha against Aulacophora Feeding of beetle was done on leaves and flowers of five foveicollis (Lucas) according to the stage of the crop and different hosts, named Citrullus vulgaris, Cucumis melo, in control plots.